Fred Feast
Fred Feast (1929-1999) was an English actor who played frustrated Fred Gee from 1975 to 1984. Although Feastie in real life made his character look very polite as Fred Feast could be quite vulgar and rude behind the scenes. Feast played at least 2 minor roles in Coronation Street prior to the role of Fred Gee, including a delivery man in 1970 and a barman named Fred (1972) in 1972 before landing the regular role of Fred Gee in 1975. Pre Coronation Street Career plus minor Coronation Street role prior to Fred Gee Frederick Samuel Feast was born on the 5th October 1929 in Scarborough to John and Barbara Feast. Fred Feast joined the army. He trained as an actor. Feast acted in numerous television dramas throughout the 1960s and early 1970s. He had a role as Mr Philbeach in Crossroads. He actually played a delivery man in Coronation Street in Ep 1039 - 30 Dec 1970. In 1972, Fred had another minor role in Coronation Street when he played a barman called Fred (1972) in Coronation Street, but it was never said that he was Fred Gee. The surname of the 1972 character was never said, also ironically he shared scenes with Edna Gee, who was Fred Gee's wife, and there was nothing said that Edna was married to the barman called Fred. In 1974 Fred Feast played a minor role as a cricketer called Martin in Emmerdale Farm (Now Emmerdale). (see image, right). Coronation Street 1975-1984 Fred Feast appeared as Fred Gee for a few episodes in October 1975. Fred returned to the role full time in early 1976 when the character of Fred Gee was taken on as the rovers cellarman. Fred played the role for the next 8 years. Fred Feast was known to be quite vulgar and rude, and his character was dubbed a "nicer version" of the actor. Producer Bill Podmore described Feast as "earthy". Feast became a household name as Fred Gee. Due to the character working in the Rovers, a focal point in the show, Fred Feast appeared in more scenes than most other characters. In 1983, Feast took time off citing depression, although he was seen at a football match during his sick leave, in good health. Feast fell ill in 1984 and took 3 months off. Towards the end of 1984, Fred Feast had enough of playing Fred Gee and controversially said he did not want to become another "Coronation Street cabbage", which viewers thought was a nasty dig at actors who had left the show due to ill health. He refused to sign a new contract. According to Coronation Street: The Inside Story, published in 1990, producer Bill Podmore asked him to stay on for a few more weeks so they could handle the character's exit. Feast said his contract ends on the 16th November and then is when he is going. Bill Podmore said his exit would be very quiet then. So Fred Feast's exit was indeed quiet, the character of Fred Gee was sacked by new boss Mike Baldwin for doing business deals behind his back and quietly left the area, never to be seen again. Fred Gee's last scene was him supping his pint in The Rovers being told he was being dismissed by Mike. After Coronation Street For 4 years, Fred Feast had no known TV roles, but did have a few TV appearances on game shows such as Blankety Blank in March 1985. Feast's next TV acting role was 4 years after leaving Coronation Street when he appeared in a few episodes of All Creatures Great and Small from 1988 to 1989. Nine years later, he appeared in Arthur. His final credit was in an episode of Heartbeat in October 1998. In January 1999, it was mentioned in Coronation Street that Fred Gee was dead, fourteen years after he last appeared in the show. Fred Gee's wife Eunice said he died a few months earlier, placing his death around the autumn of 1998. Actor Fred Feast himself passed away on the 25th June 1999 from abdominal cancer aged 69. Trivia Refs https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fred_Feast http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0269922/ Gallery Corrie 30 dec 1970.png|Fred Feast as a bread delivery man in Coronation Street in 1970. Emmie freddie feastie as cricketer 1974.png|Feast, far right, as cricketer Martin in Emmerdale Farm in 1974. Corrie freddie gee.png|Fred Feast as the loudmouth potman Fred Gee. Freddiegeeielastshot.png|Fred Feast's last ever scene as Fred Gee, 28 November 1984. FeastieHeartbeat1998.png|Fred Feast's last ever TV role in Heartbeat in 1998. Category:Coronation Street cast members Category:Actors Category:Deceased Coronation Street actors